Denver Broncos

Overview

Six weeks into the season the Broncos were being touted as the team to beat in the AFC after winning their first six games which included victories against the Patriots and on the road in San Diego.  The Broncos came out of their week seven bye week losing four straight games as the wheels fell off the cart and the team floundered home to a 8-8 record.  As a result of last year’s draft day trade for the rights to Alphonso Smith the Seahawks own Denver’s pick at 14, however, as a result of the Jay Cutler deal the Broncos own the Bears pick at number 10.

Assets

Kyle Orton played better than anyone would have imagined last season, however, defenses seemed to figure him out down the stretch as he threw 11 picks over the last 9 games after throwing just one in the team’s first seven contests.  Orton is arguably a top 15 QB under Josh McDaniels but the team could do better.

Correll Buckhalter had a career renaissance of sorts posting a career-high of 642 yards and averaging 5.4 yards per carry.  Knowshon Moreno eventually won the starting RB job after Buckhalter went down with an injury and the rookie had a solid season for Denver leading the team with 947 yards and 7 rushing touchdowns.  Moreno was averaging over 4.2 yards per carry before hitting the proverbial rookie wall the last month of the season.  With a healthy Moreno and Buckhalter in the backfield the Broncos have a strong one-two punch at running back.

Brandon Marshall is as productive a receiver as there is in the league and posted his 3rd consecutive 100 reception season in 2009, including a record breaking 21 catch game against the Colts, and a career high 10 touchdowns.  Over the past three seasons Brandon has averaged 102 catches and 1,237 yards for Denver.  With all that said there is widespread speculation that, on the heels of his being benched for the final game of the season, Marshall has played his last game in Denver and could be dealt this off season.

Jabar Gaffney had a career year for the Broncos posting a personal best of 732 yards receiving yards and coming up one short of his career best with 54 catches in his maiden season in Denver.

The offensive line is solid and is anchored by Ryan Clady who, in just his second season in the league, was voted to his first All Pro team, and Casey Wiegmann is considered to be one of the better centers in the league.

Eddie Royal is one of the most dangerous return men in the game taking two kicks back to the house this season, but, he largely disappointed in McDaniels’ offense as his number of catches plummeted from the 91 he had during his ‘08 rookie campaign to just 37 last season.

Pass rushing ace Elvis Dumervil was the lynch pin of a vastly improved defense this season.  Dumervil had a career year registering 17 sacks and forcing four fumbles.

Safety Brian Dawkins showed he still had something left recording a career high of 116 tackles and managing to get elected to his 8th Pro Bowl last season.  However, he still is not the player he was three or four years ago when he was terrorizing opposing teams and is starting to show his age a bit.

Champ Bailey had another Pro Bowl season and is still considered one of the league’s best, but, he is starting to show signs of slowing down a bit as well, however, the Broncos were still one of the best team’s in defending the pass last year.

Inside Linebacker D. J. Williams returned to form as one of the game’s better run stoppers recording a team high 122 tackles and forcing three fumbles along the way.

Linebackers Andra Davis and Mario Haggan stepped it up on run defense recording 10 tackles-for-loss apiece.

Liabilities/Needs

On offense the team desperately needs to add some depth at wide receiver, especially if they are seriously considering moving Marshall to another team.  As it is there was not a lot to be excited about after Marshall in terms of overall performance from the receiving corps last season.

Denver also needs to add some youth at the interior line positions.  While Wiegmann is still getting the job done he does turn 37 this summer and starting left guard Russ Hochstein turns 33 next season.  The Broncos have just two interior lineman under the age of 30.

Tight end Tony Scheffler is not getting the job done as a pass catcher and ended up squarely in McDaniels’ doghouse and on the bench next to Marshall for the team’s last game.

On defense Dumervil is basically a one man pass rush as nobody else on the team registered more than 5 sacks on the team last season.  Denver needs to find another pass rusher to compliment Dumervil has largely been hit-or-miss during his career.

The defensive line is still largely unproductive and they could use a play-maker along the defensive front as well.  Rookie Robert Ayers, last year’s top selection, was largely a disappointment last season.

Bottom Line

What Denver decides to do with Marshall likely ultimately affects what the Broncos do here.  If Marshall is dealt, or if the team decides it is going to deal him, prior to the draft then all signs point to Oklahoma State receiver Dez Bryant being the man if he is still on the board when Denver picks.  I also would not be surprised to see Denver move up to try and get Bryant if they do not think he will be there when its turn comes up.  Regardless of what they do with Marshall Bryant could still be the man.

Things will get interesting if Bryant is not their man or they fail to land him.  If Bryant ends up elsewhere then expect them to look at taking the best of whomever is left on the board amongst Derrick Morgan (Ga. Tech), Carlos Dunlap (Florida), and Jason Pierre-Paul (South Florida).

A wild card for the Broncos could come at quarterback.  If McDaniels is blown away by either Jimmy Clausen or Sam Bradford he could make a move for one of them.  Quarterback is not a huge need for the Broncos at this stage, but, having a guy like Orton would buy them a year or two until his successor is ready to take over.  Whatever the case I do expect the team to look at drafting a young QB who might be able to take over down the road.

If the team does not land Bryant in the first there are a couple of intriguing prospects that could potentially be there when Denver picks at 45.  Dezmon Briscoe (Kansas), Damian Williams (USC), and Demaryius Thomas all could potentially be there for Denver.  Whether they keep Marshall or not the Broncos need to get better at receiver.

They could also look at a guy like Syracuse defensive tackle Arthur Jones with an eye on converting him to a an end in their 3-4 front.  He would not offer much by way of rushing the passer but would give them a strong anchor against the run.

McDaniels could also look at a tight end at 45 as well.  Arizona’s Rob Gronkowski and Florida’s Aaron Hernandez are potential mid-second round prospects at tight end.

The Broncos could look to a few guys whose stock has dropped since the bowl season wrapped up with the 80th pick.  Alabama’s Terrence Cody has seen teams sour on him a bit as it has been reported that his weight has gone up since the season ended.  Cody would give them that anchoring nose tackle teams favor in the 3-4 defense.

Mississippi’s Greg Hardy and Northwestern’s Cory Wooten are a pair of ends who have seen their stock drop due to injury-riddled falls that led to disappointing seasons.  Wooten has the size to play end in a 3-4 front and Hardy could be lined up at OLB opposite Dumervil to give them the pass rushing duo teams who employ the 3-4 love to have.

A wild card in the third round could be Cincinnati quarterback Tony Pike.  He projects as a mid to late third round pick and I could see McDaniels taking a guy like him in the draft.